Artist, entrepreneur, actor and fashion icon A$AP Rocky will receive the Vanguard Award for Fashion at the 57th NAACP Image Awards Fashion Show, it was announced Thursday.
The fashion show will be held Feb. 27, one day before the main Image Awards ceremony, scheduled for Feb. 28 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and will be televised on BET and simulcast on CBS.
A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, is also nominated for three NAACP Image Awards for his role in the movie “Highest 2 Lowest,” which received a total of nine nominations.
“This year’s Vanguard Award honoree, A$AP Rocky, embodies the power and evolution of Black artistry,” Karen Boykin-Towns, vice chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors, said in a statement. “As a creative force who consistently pushes culture forward, he has redefined the intersection of music and fashion, shaping global trends and inspiring new generations.”
Previous recipients of the Vanguard Award include ESSENCE, June Ambrose, Bethann Hardison and Ruth E. Carter.
A$AP Rocky recently released his fourth studio album, “DON’T BE DUMB,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart after drawing more than 1 million pre-saves on Spotify.
He also co-chaired the 2025 Met Gala, received the 2025 CFDA Fashion Icon Award and appeared in two recent films produced by A24, including “Highest 2 Lowest,” directed by Spike Lee.
Public voting in select categories is open through Feb. 13 at naacpimageawards.net. Winners will be announced during the Feb. 28 ceremony.
The Image Awards is billed as an annual celebration of Black excellence across a wide array of categories.